malfunctioning grip safety

Hello to all the PT1911 owners and fans. Great website, glad I stumbled upon it.

I recently purchased my first 1911 format 45, a Taurus PT1911, and have fired about 80 rounds through it. It shot quite nicely and I was really impressed by the light trigger pull and ease of firing, never having fired a single action centerfire autoloader before.

While showing it off to a co-worker I demonstrated the grip safety feature and found if I apply a good amount of pressure to the trigger it will trip the hammer without the grip safety depressed. If I just give it a "casual" pull on the trigger the hammer doesn't fall.

My first thought was to send it in to be checked but after reading some of the reports of long wait times and sometimes less than stellar service I'm not sure. This gun is a recreational toy, not a carry weapon so I'm not too concerned about a safety issue. I have disassembled the gun down to removing the thumb safety, main spring housing, hammer, sear, etc. and am still not sure why the grip safety fails to keep the trigger from tripping the sear. Anyone here with more experience dealing with 1911's have suggestions on things to check. I'm not a gunsmith but I don't have any problem taking the gun "down to bits" and trying to figure out why the grip safety doesn't work.

Re: malfunctioning grip safety

Just holding the grip, below the grip safety, with my left hand while applying pressure to the trigger with the finger of my right hand. I've tried this numerous times since I discovered the possibility and it works the same each time. Light pressure won't trip the sear but firm pressure will.

Re: malfunctioning grip safety

It's my understanding from reading about the 1911 that this should not occur with a properly functioning gun. I wonder if there is enough flex in the trigger to trip the sear with the grip safety bearing on the back of it. Or maybe the flex exists in the grip safety itself. If anyone has ideas please post for the sake of my sanity

Re: malfunctioning grip safety

I pulled my pistol apart again and it appears the relationship between the grip safety and trigger is incorrect. The area of the grips safety that rests against the trigger is high in relation to the trigger and allows it to slip under if enough pressure is applied. If the protrusion on the grip safety could be bent downwards without breaking that would likely solve the problem.

I have also noticed on my gun that the slide "serrations" are cut deeper on the right side of the slide. I guess I could go ahead and send the gun back and allow Taurus' repair dept. "the opportunity to shine" and make things right.

Re: malfunctioning grip safety

Update:
For anyone following this, I was able to carefully, and successfully, bend my grip safety. It now functions correctly. Now no matter how much pressure I apply to the trigger it will not release the hammer (sear) until the grip safety is depressed.

I had visions of a cheaply made cast part breaking into pieces before bending enough but thankfully this was not the case. I would caution anyone attempting this to go slowly, and of course YMMV.

Now if the weather would clear up and some of the snow would melt I could get out and put some more rounds downrange with this pistol.

Re: malfunctioning grip safety

Here is the best cut away of the 1911. Before you start bending the grip safety take a VERY close look and realize that if you're not careful you will find a gun that won't allow you to fire at all. The thumb safety is designed to be the primary safety... the grip as a secondary. As long as the thumb safety holds then be careful about the grip. Take it to a gun smith... don't make this a first time event.